The guard who kept chattering was Tom. He was a blue-cat hybrid, and the pair of Cat Eyes hidden behind his helmet visor often glimmered with an eerie light. He possessed an innate sensitivity that allowed him to detect danger in advance, making him particularly skilled at disarming traps.
The other, shorter guard was Jerry. Rumor had it that he was a ratfolk hybrid, with the miraculous ability to Dig, as well as expertise in stealth and lockpicking.
These two guards had clearly not been chosen at random.
After spending a few minutes with them, Dark had gained some understanding of their personalities.
Tom was exceptionally talkative, to the point of being a chatterbox.
Jerry was relatively quiet, but every now and then he would make a cutting remark, his sarcasm utterly maxed out.
With these two living treasures around, the atmosphere in the party became much livelier—and much less like that of a professional expedition team!
Of course, no one cared about that.
Dark walked shoulder to shoulder with Aurora, occasionally chiming in.
Professor Lily had already abandoned her "toy bird," darting through the ground and walls. Every so often, she poked her head out from a wall around a corner, giving people a fright, and she never got tired of it.
The little Gu Huo Bird and the "toy bird," meanwhile, sat atop the enormous pack on the Heavy Armored Rhinoceros's back.
Magnemite and DemiDevimon flew on either side.
They continued downward.
At this unhurried pace, Dark finally arrived before the temple about fifteen minutes later.
As expected, there were still people stationed at the temple entrance.
Pots, pans, bedding rolls, and tents—all were present.
Tom took the initiative to ask around, then returned and said, "Teams Three, Seven, and Nine are all inside. The temple exploration